I continue to maintain two other lists of potential locations, one of which will feature locations that may be moved to my main list for any General Conference in the near future once I have more information supporting the idea of a temple there, and the other contains locations which will almost certainly get a temple at some point, once the right conditions are in place to enable that to happen. And in that respect, I also wanted to post a disclaimer: I have no connections to any official sources which would indicate the imminence of a temple announcement for any of these locations.
What I do have is access to information which I can then analyze and use to gauge how likely a temple in any of these locations might be, which comes from a variety of sources. Based on those insights from others or my own research, I have compiled this list of those locations for which I feel a temple is most likely to be announced during the April 2019 General Conference. If I am correct on any of these locations, or in my theory that President Nelson will reveal more specific details about the breadth and timing involved in his temple expansion plans, then these additional factors will be used to expand any or all of the 3 lists for the foreseeable future.
With that preamble, the list of candidates for potential temples which may be announced in April follows below, along with all of the relevant notes I have put together to explain my reasoning behind each choice. An open commenting period will be in effect for the next 4.5 weeks or so, and I am planning on ending that period on Monday April 1, so as to give myself enough time to make any changes to this list which may be needed before General Conference is held on the weekend of April 6 & 7.
So as not to disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do: That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
Africa Southeast[ii]:
Antananarivo Madagascar[iii];
Second DR Congo Temple[iv]
(in Mbuji-Mayi[v] or Lubumbashi[vi]; Maputo
Mozambique[vii];
Kampala Uganda[viii]
Africa West[ix]:
Freetown Sierra Leone[x];
Kumasi Ghana[xi]; Monrovia Liberia[xii];
Yamoussoukro Ivory Coast[xiii];
Benin City Nigeria[xiv]
Asia[xv]:
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia[xvi];
Jakarta Indonesia[xvii]; Singapore[xviii];
Taichung Taiwan[xix]; Hanoi Vietnam[xx]
Caribbean: Kingston
Jamaica[xxviii]
Europe[xxxi]:
Budapest Hungary[xxxii]; Edinburgh Scotland[xxxiii];
Vienna Austria[xxxiv]; Oslo Norway[xxxv]
Pacific: Port Moresby
Papua New Guinea[xxxviii]; Tarawa Kiribati[xxxix];
Pago Pago American Samoa[xl];
Neiafu Vava'u Tonga[xli];
Savaii Samoa[xlii]
South America Northwest[xlvi]:
Santa Cruz[xlvii]/La Paz[xlviii]
Bolivia; Iquitos Peru[xlix];
Cali[l]/Medellin[li]
Colombia
South America South[lii]:
Antofagasta[liii]/Valparaiso[liv]
Chile; Neuquen[lv]/Rosario[lvi]
Argentina; Ciudad del Este Paraguay[lvii]
North America[lviii]
(including the United States and Canada):
North America Central: Missoula
Montana[lix];
Lethbridge Alberta[lx]; Wichita
Kansas[lxi];
Green Bay Wisconsin[lxii];
Des Moines Iowa[lxiii]; Pueblo Colorado[lxiv];
Rapid City South Dakota[lxv]
North America Northeast:
Augusta Maine[lxvi]; East Brunswick New
Jersey[lxvii];
Cleveland Ohio[lxviii]; Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania[lxix]; Montpelier Vermont[lxx]
North America West:
Bakersfield California[lxxiii]
North America Southeast:
Jackson Mississippi[lxxiv];
Shreveport Louisiana[lxxv];
Jacksonville Florida[lxxvi];
Knoxville Tennessee[lxxvii];
Savannah Georgia[lxxviii]
North America Southwest:
Bentonville Arkansas[lxxix];
Elko[lxxx]/Ely[lxxxi]
Nevada; Fort Worth Texas[lxxxii];
Las Cruces New Mexico[lxxxiii];
Flagstaff Arizona[lxxxiv]
Utah[lxxxv]:
Herriman Utah[lxxxvi]; Preston Idaho[lxxxvii];
Heber City Utah[lxxxviii]; Tooele Utah[lxxxix];
Evanston Wyoming[xc] Washington County Utah
(Third temple)[xci]
[i]Preliminary note on this
section: With 19 temples announced last year alone, that has resulted in a
current backlog of 27 temples for which a site announcement or groundbreaking
is pending. Of those 27, 3 have a groundbreaking scheduled to occur before May
5, and there are at least 10 others for which a groundbreaking may be held by
around the time of the April 2020 General Conference. With that in mind, it
seems to be a near certainty that several temples (perhaps even a dozen or
more) will be announced at some point during this conference, whether or not
President Nelson details his plans at the time he makes that announcement.
[ii]The entire African
continent has experienced significant growth, and that is especially true of
this area. The only currently-operating temple is in Johannesburg South Africa.
Additionally, the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is set to be
dedicated the Sunday following this General Conference, and the Durban South
Africa Temple will be dedicated sometime during mid-to-late 2019. Meanwhile,
sites have been procured for the Harare Zimbabwe and Nairobi Kenya Temples,
both of which could have a groundbreaking before the April 2020 General
Conference. For that reason, I am confident other temples will be announced for
this area in the near future, maybe even during this General Conference.
[iii]Madagascar
currently ranks seventh of the top ten nations with the strongest Church
presence that do not have a temple in any phase, and it is an island nation not
connected to the rest of the African continent. For that reason alone,
Madagascar seems to me to be the second-most-likely African city to get a
temple (with the most likely location described below in note 27). Saints in
the capital city of Antananarivo currently travel 1,338 miles to worship at the
Johannesburg South Africa Temple. Once the Harare Zimbabwe Temple is dedicated,
that distance will be cut to 1,082 miles. But even that is 5 times further than
the 200-mile goal set by previous Church Presidents, so a temple in Madagascar
may just be a matter of time.
[iv]It has recently been
reported that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other neighboring
nations in Central Africa have seen such impressive Church growth (which is on
track to continue) that the Church could opt to create an Africa Central Area
with a presidency based perhaps in Kinshasa to help administer the very
significant growth occurring generally in the African continent, but specifically
in the central nations thereof. For reasons I will detail more fully in notes
22-23, I see two cities as the most likely locations for the second DR Congo
Temple.
[v]In February 2016, Elder
Andersen spoke at a meeting for Saints living in the Kasai region (of which
Mbuji-Mayi is the capital city). He publicly proposed a temple for that region
during his remarks. Saints in Mbuji-Mayi currently travel almost 2,000 miles to
worship at the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. Once the Kinshasa temple is
dedicated (which will, as noted, occur one week after General Conference), that
distance will be cut to 839.6 miles. But since that is more than 4 times the
200-mile distance within which previous prophets have wanted every Church
member to be, given Elder Andersen’s proposal and the extensive growth in the
surrounding regions, I would not be surprised to see a temple in Mbuji-Mayi,
which could be announced sooner rather than later.
[vi]It has been my theory for
a while now that a second temple could be announced for the Democratic Republic
of the Congo. While the case in favor of a temple in Mbuji-Mayi is a strong
one, Lubumbashi may be eligible for a temple on its’ own merits. Saints in
Lubumbashi currently travel over 1,300 miles to worship at the Johannesburg South
Africa Temple. The Kinshasa temple will be 100 miles further away than that
from the Saints in that city. Once the Harare Zimbabwe Temple is built and
dedicated, the Saints in Lubumbashi would be 644.7 miles from it. And a temple
built in Mbuji-Mayi would be only slightly closer. For that reason, I have felt
justified in my belief that Lubumbashi will have a temple of its’ own one day,
with the only question being whether a Mbuji-Mayi temple is more imminent, or
might be announced at the same time as a temple for Lubumbashi.
[vii]On the list of top
ten nations first referenced in note 20, Mozambique ranks ninth. The Saints in
that area currently do not have too arduous a journey (341.5 miles) to travel
to Johannesburg, but since that distance is still above the 200-mile goal set
by previous Church presidents, a temple in Maputo may just be a matter of time,
especially if the minimum mileage is halved or quartered.
[viii]Uganda currently ranks fifth
on the list of the top ten nations previously referenced. The Saints in that
nation currently travel a distance of roughly 2,456.5 miles to get to the
Johannesburg temple. That distance will be cut most significantly after the
Nairobi Kenya Temple is built and dedicated, at which point the Saints in
Kampala will only have to journey roughly 403 miles. But since that is still
twice as far as the 200-mile goal, it seems more likely than not that a temple
will be announced in Kampala sooner rather than later.
[ix]The
Church in the Africa West Area has also experienced massive and rapid growth.
The Church Growth Blog recently reported that, if current growth trends in the
Africa West Area continue as they have been lately, the Church could go from
the 2 operating temples (with the Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple currently under
construction, and one more announced in Lagos Nigeria last October) to 13 in
operation by sometime during 2030. With that in mind, several temples may dot
this area in the near future, and the locations in this section seem to me to
be the most imminently likely prospects.
[x]Sierra
Leone is my top African pick for a temple, and now ranks second of the top ten
nations that have the strongest Church presence but do not yet have a temple in
any phase. With the recent expanded growth in Sierra Leone (particularly with
so many districts that have been upgraded to stakes), a temple there may simply
be a matter of time. The Saints in Freetown currently journey roughly 1,246
miles to the Accra Ghana temple, a distance which will not be cut until the
temple in Abidjan Ivory Coast is dedicated, at which point the Freetown Saints
will be roughly 914 miles away from that temple. Since that is still 4 times
greater than the 200-mile distance, whether or not that mileage goal is
lowered, Sierra Leone is very likely to get a temple soon.
[xi]Since
the dedication of the Accra Ghana temple in January 2004, Ghana has seen
sufficient enough growth (in my opinion) to potentially get a second temple.
And Kumasi has emerged as the most likely city for such a temple. Although the
Saints in Kumasi currently only have to travel 154.4 miles to the Accra temple,
if the minimum mileage is lowered, then a temple in Kumasi may just be a matter
of time.
[xii]Liberia
currently ranks sixth on the previously-mentioned list of the top ten nations
with the strongest Church presence that do not have a temple in any phase. The
Saints in Liberia currently travel 946.5 miles to worship in the Accra Ghana
Temple. Once the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple is built and dedicated, that
distance will decrease to 616.5 miles. If, as observed in note 16 above, a
temple is built in Freetown, that distance gets almost cut in half to 338.8
miles, which is still well above the current mileage goal. So if the minimum
distance is lowered at all, Monrovia is almost certain to be a prime candidate
for a temple in the near future.
[xiii]As mentioned in
note #12 above, the precedent of the Church only having one temple in any phase
of construction in any given area or nation seems to have been broken. With the
current growth trends in the Ivory Coast, a second (and even a potential third)
temple could be possible sooner rather than later. The Saints in Yamoussoukro
currently travel roughly 479 miles to the Accra Ghana Temple, and that distance
will be cut to 147 miles once the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple is built and
dedicated. But if, as previously noted, the minimum distance is halved or
quartered, then a temple in Yamoussoukro may be a more imminent prospect for
the near future.
[xiv]Although a temple was
just announced for Lagos Nigeria last October, since 2018 saw two temples
announced for Argentina, a third temple for Nigeria may make sense,
particularly in light of the recent growth trends seen there. The Saints in
Benin City currently travel roughly 185 miles to the Aba Nigeria Temple, and
the temple announced in Lagos would be even further away than that. So if the
goal is to halve or quarter the 200-mile distance, Benin City is a prime
prospect.
[xv]It is somewhat difficult
to project what might occur for the Asia Area in terms of other temples. In
April 2018, President Nelson noted that he had not originally planned to
announce a temple for India, but did so following a direct prompting from the
Lord which came the day before his first General Conference as Church President
began. With a groundbreaking having been held for the Bangkok Thailand Temple
in January, and with President Nelson having looked at potential locations for
the Bengaluru India Temple, he subsequently announced during the October 2018
General Conference that a temple would be built in the capital city of
Cambodia. While it is unclear whether any other temples would be announced for
this area until the three in various phases are further along, the selected
cities which follow have a compelling case in their favor for a temple. Until
we know for sure, I am not limiting my list this go-round.
[xvi]Mongolia
was one nation I had on my list of more distant prospects, primarily because
the Church presence in that nation is not as strong as it seems to be in other
Asian nations. There are two main factors in Mongolia’s favor in terms of
having a temple built. First of all, that nation now ranks as the eighth of the
top ten nations with the strongest Church presence which do not have a temple
in any phase. When we add that to the mileage metric (since the Saints in
Mongolia currently travel 1,805 miles to the Hong Kong China Temple, my
research also shows that no other operating or announced temple will cut that
distance at all. So a temple in Ulaanbaatar may simply be a matter of time, and
I would anticipate that sooner rather than later.
[xvii]As mentioned in note #21
above, it is difficult to tell how soon other Asian locations might have a
temple announced while the temples in Bangkok, Bengaluru and Phnom Penh are in
various stages of the construction process. At the same time, a temple in
Indonesia would cut down on the amount of travel involved for the Saints.
Currently, that journey is 2,034 miles to Hong Kong. Once the temple in Bangkok
is built and dedicated, that distance will be cut to 1,921 miles. Since neither
the Bengaluru nor Phnom Penh Temples would be closer, and since the distance
from Jakarta to Bangkok is still over 9.6 times further than the 200-mile goal
set by previous Church Presidents, a temple in Jakarta may simply be a matter
of time.
[xviii]In January 2000,
President Gordon B. Hinckley promised the Saints in Singapore that they would
get a temple one day if they did their part to expand the Church in their land.
With only one stake currently existing in this nation, the Saints travel over
1,600 miles to the Hong Kong China Temple. That distance will be cut by just
over 400 miles once the temple in Bangkok Thailand is dedicated. Since no other
temple will be any closer, a temple in Singapore may just be a matter of time.
[xix]The Saints in Taichung
currently only have to travel 106.4 miles to worship at the Taipei Temple.
Depending on how busy that temple is, and on whether the minimum 200-mile
distance set by other prophets is halved or quartered, a second temple in
Taiwan may just be a matter of time, and Taichung seems to be the best option
for such a temple.
[xx]Since the Church was
officially recognized in Vietnam in 2016, there has been significant growth,
with the establishment of 2 districts, either or both of which could, given the
right conditions and time, be upgraded to stakes. Saints in Hanoi currently
travel 539 miles to worship at the Hong Kong China Temple, and no other temples
under construction or announced will be closer to Hanoi than that. So I think a
temple in Hanoi may just be a matter of time.
[xxi]The Asia North Area of
the Church has seen some stagnated growth, to the point where some have
suggested that that area could be merged with the Asia Area. While I understand
the thinking behind that, and while I would not be surprised if such a merge
occurs in the near future, I have evaluated the area and seen at least one
prospective location where a temple could be built.
[xxii]Due to the stagnant
growth in most of the Asia North Area (as referenced in note 36 above), particularly
in Japan, some have suggested that Japan may not have any other temples
announced in the near future. With that said, my research shows that, if and
when a fourth temple is needed to serve the Saints in Japan, Osaka seems to be
the most likely location for such a temple. There are 3 stakes in that city,
and the Saints in those stakes travel 311.3 miles one way to worship at the
Tokyo Japan Temple, which is closed for renovation. For these reasons, I feel a
temple in Osaka may simply be a matter of time.
[xxiii]The
nation of Brazil has seen strong Church growth, perhaps the greatest amount
Church-wide outside of North America. With 6 temples in operation there
currently, there are two others under construction in Fortaleza (for which a dedication
has been set to occur on June 2) and Rio de Janeiro (for which a dedication is
anticipated in late 2019-early 2020). There are three others which have been
announced in Belem, Brasilia, and Salvador. The Brasilia temple might have
construction begin later this year. With these five in different phases, it is
difficult to know how soon other temples might be announced for the nation. But
the following locations, for the reasons I will highlight below, have a strong
case in favor of a temple.
[xxiv]With
a temple having been announced last October for Salvador Brazil, I am fully
anticipating that Belo Horizonte will be one of the next Brazilian cities to
get a temple (if not the very next city). Saints in Belo Horizonte currently
travel 369 miles one-way to worship at the Campinas Brazil Temple (to which
they are currently assigned). The dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Temple may result in those Saints being reassigned to that temple district, in
which case that distance would go down to 275.2 miles one-way. Either way,
having a temple built in Belo Horizonte makes sense according to the current
maximum mileage metric.
[xxv]While
I had seen Florianopolis as a feasible temple prospect at some point in the
future, it was not until I took the reports of President Nelson’s ambitious
temple-building plans into account that I felt comfortable including
Florianopolis on this list for the immediate future. Right now, the nearest
temples to the Saints in Florianopolis are the temple in Curitiba (to which
they are currently assigned, and for which a journey of 191.3 miles is
involved) and Porto Alegre (which is exactly 285 miles away). Because the
distances involved constitute undue hardship for the Saints in Florianopolis, a
temple there may just be a matter of time. That said, it may be some time
before we know how soon a temple might be announced there, if a temple in Belo
Horizonte is more imminently needed. For now though, I am confident enough to
put it on this list.
[xxvi]As I studied future
prospective temple locations for Brazil, João Pessoa stood out to me. The
Saints in that city are currently assigned to the Recife Brazil Temple. To get
to that temple, the Saints in João Pessoa currently travel only 75.6 miles one
way. But I think we will be seeing the
Church make a concerted effort to either halve or quarter the minimum 200-mile
distance within which most Church members should live from their temples, and
if that happens, then João Pessoa would make an ideal candidate.
[xxvii]Ribeirão
Preto was another Brazilian candidate city which I added to my list for the
first time for this General Conference. The Saints in Ribeirão Preto currently
travel 140.9 miles to worship at the Campinas Brazil Temple. No other temple
under construction or announced will be closer than that, so it is my belief
that a temple in Ribeirão Preto will be announced sooner rather than later.
[xxviii]Prior to the October
2018 General Conference, in the comments on the LDS Church Growth blog, someone
mentioned the prospect of a temple in Kingston Jamaica. The Jamaican Saints are
currently assigned to the Panama City Panama Temple, and have a one-way
overseas journey of 650 miles to get there. Once the temple in Port-au-Prince
Haiti is dedicated (in mid-May of next year), the Jamaican Saints may be
reassigned to that temple, which would then cut that distance to 298 miles. But
since that journey will still involve overseas travel, and since the distance
involved is still so great one-way, a temple in Kingston makes a lot of sense.
That is especially true given that a few of the 19 locations for which
President Nelson has announced temples so far will be built to serve only one
or two stakes or districts.
[xxix]On
my blog recently, a Latter-day Saint living in the Central America Area noted
that a temple for Senahu, which I’d had on my list for a while, was likely not
as imminent as a second temple to serve the Saints within the current district
of the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple. The same individual mentioned Coban by
name as such a prospect. Once I found out that the one-way drive for the Saints
in Coban to get to Guatemala City was a distance of 131.5 miles, I knew I had
to add Coban as a very viable candidate.
[xxx]The Tegucigalpa Honduras
Temple district currently covers the 43 stakes and 9 districts in Honduras and
Nicaragua. Once the temple announced last April for Managua is built and
dedicated, that will leave the Tegucigalpa Temple district with 31 stakes and 5
districts. Although that is more manageable, it seems likely that a second
temple will be needed to serve the Honduran Saints. And the general consensus
from previous comments seems to be that San Pedro Sula is the next most likely
location for such a temple. The Saints in San Pedro Sula currently travel 173.1
miles one way to worship at the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple. Based on that, I
feel a temple in San Pedro Sula may simply be a matter of time.
[xxxi]Europe,
particularly in the eastern countries of its’ continent, has seen some
stagnation in terms of the growth of the Church. With temples currently under
construction in Rome Italy and Lisbon Portugal (both of which will be dedicated
next year), and another announced for a major yet-to-be determined city in
Russia, the Church may opt to wait to construct other temples on the European
continent until those 3 are either dedicated or at least further along in the
process. That said, on the off-chance the Church does not so opt, the cities in
this section, for the reasons I will explain in the subsequent notes that will
follow this one, have the greatest chance of being announced in the near
future.
[xxxii]When
I began sharing my thoughts on potential future temple locations, someone who
has knowledge of the growth of the Church in Europe indicated that Budapest
would likely be the next European city to get a temple. Although temples have
since been announced for a major yet-to-be-determined city in Russia and for
Praia Cabo Verde (which falls within the boundaries of the Europe Area of the
Church), since a temple in Budapest seems likely in the near future, it has
been on my list for a while. Right now, the Saints in Budapest travel 418 miles
to worship at the Freiberg Germany Temple. And neither of the two European
temples under construction will be closer than that, so a temple in Budapest
seems likely in the near future.
[xxxiii]When
expanding my list of temple prospects, I knew I had to look at another temple
in the UK. I had a temple for Scotland or Ireland on my list for the distant
future, but after numerous comments on my blog and some additional research on
my part, I determined that Scotland would be the more likely location for the
next temple in the UK. The Saints in Edinburgh are 185.4 miles from their
assigned temple in Preston England. If President Nelson’s temple-building plans
involve lowering the minimum mileage from which any Saint should be from their
assigned temple, then Edinburgh would indeed qualify for a temple, which would
likely also serve Ireland, in addition to some parts of England that are
nearest to the two countries.
[xxxiv]Although
the Saints in Austria have seen a slight consolidation in the number of Church
units in that nation recently, their currently assigned temple in Frankfurt
(which is closed for renovation) is 444.2 miles away. If a temple is built in
Budapest Hungary, the Austria Saints may be reassigned to that temple, which
would then be 150.8 miles away. If, as noted previously, the current 200-mile
minimum distance is halved or quartered as part of what President Nelson has
planned for temple construction, then Austria will surely be in the running for
a temple.
[xxxv]The Norwegian Saints
currently travel 326.7 miles to get to the Stockholm Sweden Temple (to which
they are currently assigned). So Oslo would already qualify for a temple based
on the current mileage metric. If that 200-mile minimum distance set by
previous prophets is quartered or halved, then Oslo would be a prime candidate
for a temple. For that reason, Norway has made my list for the first time this
go-round.
[xxxvi]The
growth of the Church in Mexico has somewhat stagnated to the point where Church
leaders began last year to do a mass consolidation of the Church units there,
primarily for the purpose of strengthening the remaining units. With that in
mind, it may be difficult to gauge how soon other Mexican temples might be
needed, but for now, the one candidate on this list, as I will explain in note
54 below, has a strong case in its’ favor for a future temple.
[xxxvii]The
Saints in Queretaro Mexico currently travel roughly 134.8 miles to worship at
the Mexico City Mexico Temple, and would actually be further away than that
from the temple which was announced last October for Puebla. Again, the timing
of the announcement for the next temple will depend largely on whether or not
more temples in that nation would make sense, given the apparent lack of
sufficient activity within the Mexico City Temple. Until more is known about
that, and about President Nelson’s plans to expand the number of temples, I
feel confident in keeping this city on my list.
[xxxviii]Papua
New Guinea now ranks as the nation with the strongest Church presence that does
not yet have a temple. I also learned several years ago that land has been held
in reserve in Port Moresby for a temple for a while now. With that in mind, it
may simply be a matter of time before a temple is announced there.
[xxxix]Kiribati
currently ranks as the third nation with the strongest LDS presence that does
not have a temple in any phase of construction. The Saints in Tarawa currently
travel 1,402 miles to worship at the Suva Fiji Temple, and no other
currently-operating temple is closer than that. With all of this in mind, a
temple in that nation may simply be a matter of time.
[xl]American
Samoa ranks fifth on the list of nations with the strongest Church presence
that do not have a temple in any phase. The nearest temple to the Saints in the
capital city of Pago Pago is currently Apia Samoa, and the Pago Pago Saints
currently travel 76.2 miles, which is not long distance-wise, but involves
journeying over a body of water, which may be inconvenient. Also, if the minimum
mileage goal set by previous Church presidents is halved or quartered, that
will no doubt make this prospect more imminent.
[xli]Tonga
has recently seen impressive Church growth, which leads me to believe that a
second temple may be needed to serve the Saints there. The city of Neiafu Vava’u
seems to be the most likely location for a second Tongan temple, since the
Saints in that city currently travel 189 miles to the temple in Nuku’alofa.
Although that is within the current minimum mileage, if that minimum is halved
or quartered, then that, combined with the extensive growth in Tonga, leads me
to believe that a Neiafu Vava’u temple will be announced sooner rather than
later.
[xlii]Although Savaii is 23
miles exactly from Apia, getting there involves an overseas flight, which may
constitute an undue hardship for the Saints assigned to the Apia Samoa Temple
district. With that in mind, it might make sense for the Church to announce a
second Samoan temple.
[xliii]The Church has two
operating temples in the Philippines (Manila and Cebu City). The temple
announced in October 2010 for Urdaneta had a groundbreaking ceremony in
January. And with the last 3 sets of temple announcements, the Philippines has
seen temples announced for the greater Manila area (which will be located in
Muntinlupa City), Cagayan de Oro, and Davao. If that is any indication of what
might happen in the future, then other temples may be needed for the
Philippines
[xliv]As I looked at the most
likely candidate cities in the Philippines which may get a temple, Bacolod
stood out to me. The Saints in that city currently travel 141.8 miles one way to
reach their assigned temple (in Cebu City), and at least part of that journey involves
an overseas trip. With that in mind, a temple in Bacolod may just be a matter of
time.
[xlv]Tacloban is another city
for which my research shows a temple may be needed in the near future. As with
Bacolod, for the Saints in Tacloban, a one-way journey of 160.8 miles to the
Cebu City Temple also involves some overseas travel. In light of that fact, the
Church may announce a temple for Tacloban as well in the not-too-distant
future.
[xlvi]The
entire South American continent has experienced massive Church growth. Having
previously discussed Brazil, in reference to the South America Northwest Area,
I wanted to observe that there are 7 operating temples there. 1 more is
currently under construction in Arequipa Peru (for which a dedication is
anticipated before the end of this year Two others have been announced (the
Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple, which may have a groundbreaking within the next
year, if not sooner, and the Quito Ecuador Temple, which could have a
groundbreaking within the next 2-3 years, though hopefully sooner if all goes
well). With the South America Northwest Area having experienced somewhat rapid
growth, I have long been of the opinion that several prospects were likely
possibilities for this area in the near future, and I expanded the number of
those prospective locations again with the increased comments about President
Nelson’s ambitious temple-building plans. For the reasons mentioned in the
notes below, each of the locations on this list have a strong case in their
favor as prospects for the near future.
[xlvii]It seems to be simply a
matter of time before Bolivia gets a second temple. While I personally favor
the city of La Paz (because the bishop of my parent’s ward during my late
teenage and early young adult years served there), I cannot deny that a temple
in Santa Cruz may be more imminently needed, since that city has seen more Church
growth in recent years than La Paz. The Santa Cruz Saints currently travel
296.9 miles one way to worship at the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple, so that city
would qualify based on the current mileage metric alone. For that reason, we
will likely see a temple announced there sooner rather than later.
[xlviii]As I mentioned in the
note above, I personally favor La Paz over Santa Cruz as the location of
Bolivia’s second temple. However, because a temple may be more imminently
needed for Santa Cruz, that might delay the prospect of a temple for La Paz.
That said, since the La Paz Saints currently travel 236.5 miles to get to the
temple in Cochabamba, and since that distance is also above the current maximum
mileage goal, we might see a scenario where temples are announced for both
cities at once, or within a General Conference or two of each other.
[xlix]The Saints in Iquitos
currently travel 629 miles to worship at the Lima Peru Temple. The Trujillo
Peru Temple is actually closer in mileage, but perhaps Lima is easier for those
Saints to access. The Arequipa Peru Temple (which is anticipated to be
dedicated in early 2020) will be further away than either of the other two.
Once the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple is dedicated, it will only be 4 miles
closer to the Saints in Iquitos than the first Lima Peru temple. Since the
distance involved is more than 3 times greater than the 200-mile goal set by
previous Church presidents, a temple in Iquitos may just be a matter of time.
[l]Colombia has two operating
temples currently in Bogota and Barranquilla (the latter of which was dedicated
near the end of 2018). If Church growth continues in that nation the way it has
lately, then a third and fourth temple will likely be needed before too much
longer, and Cali and Medellin seem to be the most likely locations. This note
will focus on the former, with the next note focusing on the latter. The Saints
in Cali currently travel 286.7 miles one-way to worship at the Bogota Colombia
Temple. So Cali already qualifies for a temple of its’ own based on only the
mileage metric, especially if the minimum distance set by previous Church
Presidents is lowered at all.
[li]If a temple is announced
for Cali, it is possible that a temple in Medellin might be delayed. That said,
the Saints in Medellin currently travel 260.9 miles to reach the Bogota temple,
and a temple in Cali would only be 0.5 miles closer. With that in mind, temples
could be announced for both cities at the same time, or within 1 or 2 General
Conferences of each other.
[lii]The
South America South Area has likewise seen very significant and rapidly
expanding growth. So again, with President Nelson’s extensive temple-building
plans in mind, I have considered the most imminent prospects for future temples
in this area, which, for the reasons outlined in the notes below, have a strong
case in their favor.
[liii]The Church has two
operating temples in Chile, one in Santiago, and the other in Concepcion (which
was dedicated in late October 2018). Given that the Santiago Chile Temple
district is still relatively large, a third (and perhaps even a fourth) temple
for this nation seems to make sense in the near future. As to the particular
merits of Antofagasta, the Saints in that city currently travel 829.8 miles to
worship at the temple in Santiago. Because that is over 4 times further than
the 200-mile minimum distance goal set by previous Church Presidents, a temple
in Antofagasta may simply be a matter of time.
[liv]As I mentioned in the
note above this one, another temple or two to serve the Saints currently
assigned to the Santiago Chile Temple district may be needed. I have had
Valparaiso on my list of prospects for the near future for a while now. The
prospect of a temple in Antofagasta may be more imminent, since the Saints in
Valparaiso are only 71.6 miles one-way from the temple in Santiago, but if the
Church really wanted to break up the current Santiago district, I could see
both cities having a temple announced within the next 1-3 General Conferences,
whether that occurs simultaneously, or if the announcement of one for
Antofagasta is followed by one for Valparaiso within 1-4 General Conferences.
[lv]It is difficult to know
how soon another temple may be announced to serve the Saints in Argentina.
There are 2 operating temples in that nation currently (in Buenos Aires and
Cordoba), and 2 new temples were announced for that nation in 2018 (for Salta
and Mendoza). Since both temples will help break up the current Cordoba temple
district, it seems logical to assume that something similar will be done to break
up the current Buenos Aires temple district. If the Church announced temples in
Neuquen and Rosario, that would accomplish such a division. As to the
particular merits of Neuquen, it is a more isolated city, and we have seen
President Nelson announce temples in cities, nations, and areas where the
members are more isolated. But in addition to that, the Saints in Neuquen have
a one-way journey of 708.2 miles to get to the temple in Buenos Aires, which is
more than 3.5 times further away than the minimum distance set by previous
Church Presidents. With all of this in mind, a temple in Neuquen may be a more
imminent prospect than many might feel it will be.
[lvi]As mentioned in the above
note, the two temples announced for Argentina in 2018 will help break up the
current Cordoba temple district. If something similar is done for the current
district of the Buenos Aires Temple, then a temple in Rosario could help
accomplish that. Although the Saints in Rosario currently have a one-way
journey of less than 200 miles (the exact distance is 185.1 miles), that is
close enough to the 200-mile minimum distance set by previous Church Presidents
that, if the minimum distance is halved or quartered, a temple in Rosario would
make even more sense.
[lvii]If
what I have heard and read about the growth of the Church in Paraguay is any
indication, a second temple to serve the Saints in that nation may be needed
sooner rather than later. Ciudad del Este seems to be the most likely prospect
for such a temple in Paraguay. When the renovation process is complete for the
Asuncion Paraguay Temple, the Saints in Ciudad del Este will have a one-way journey
of 201.4 miles to worship there, which is already above the minimum goal other
prophets have set. If that minimum distance is lowered at all, then a temple in
Ciudad del Este may simply be a matter of time.
[lviii]Although
the North American continent (primarily in the United States) has seen somewhat
of a stagnating growth situation, in light of the recent increased mentions of
President Nelson’s ambitious temple-building plans, the likelihood is extremely
high that the US and Canada will be included in whatever the plans are to
expand the number of temples worldwide. The locations listed below represent
what I believe are the most imminent prospects for each of the 10 North
American areas of the Church.
[lix]According
to reports I received through the comments on my blog, Elder David A. Bednar
publicly proposed a Missoula Montana Temple while on assignment to a stake
conference in that city. My subsequent research indicates that land has been
held in reserve for such a temple for several years now, and that an official
announcement will occur once the right conditions are met. For that reason,
Missoula has been on my list for a while now, and I could see an official
announcement of such a prospect in the very near future.
[lx]I had been considering the
merits of adding Lethbridge Alberta to this list for a while now. The Saints in
that city currently travel 49.2 miles to get to their assigned temple in
Cardston. Although that is not an inordinately long trip, if the minimum
mileage goal set by previous Church Presidents is halved or quartered, a temple
for Lethbridge may simply be a matter of time.
[lxi]Since
Wichita Kansas was on one of my other two lists, I simply moved it up to this
one as a more imminent prospect. The 7 stakes in Kansas currently are split
between the Kansas City Missouri Temple, the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple, and
the Denver Colorado Temple, and almost all of those 7 have extensive distances
involved. So if the 200-mile goal set by previous Church presidents is lowered
to any degree, all of the distances may well be considered inordinate. For
these reason, a temple in Wichita seems likely to be announced sooner rather
than later
[lxii]When
I was first considering the most likely location for Wisconsin’s first temple,
I had prioritized Madison (the nation’s capital) or Milwaukee. But after a lot
of feedback and more research on my part, I determined Green Bay would be a
more preferable location. There are six stakes in Wisconsin, all of which are
assigned to the Chicago Illinois Temple District except one, which is assigned
to the St. Paul Minnesota Temple district. Because the Saints in Wisconsin have
a one way journey of 90-200 miles to their assigned temples, and because a
temple in Green Bay would cut that distance for most of those stakes, I am
reasonably confident that a temple could (and likely will) be announced for
Green Bay in the near future.
[lxiii]
Although the Church has previously built temples in sites which have historical
significance, and although Council Bluffs in Iowa is one such location, given
that the Saints who live in that area are less than 15 miles away from the
temple in Winter Quarters Nebraska, a temple in Iowa is more likely to rise in
the capital city of Des Moines. The 8 stakes in Iowa are currently divided
between the Winter Quarters Nebraska and Nauvoo Illinois Temples. Of those 8
stakes, only the Saints in Council Bluffs are within 15 miles of their assigned
temple. All other established stakes in this state are 90-180 miles away from
their assigned temple. With all of this in mind, Iowa would qualify for a
temple, and if one rises in Des Moines, it would not surprise me at all if that
temple was named for Mount Pisgah, which is another historically-significant
site from early Church history, and for which the second Des Moines stake is
named.
[lxiv]A
comment on my blog mentioned that the Saints in Pueblo and nearby Colorado
Springs typically deal with massive and significant traffic congestion to get
to their currently-assigned temple in Denver, which seems to be a very undue
hardship. Since that also involves a one-way journey of 115.8 miles, I can see
why a temple in Pueblo in the near future may be very likely.
[lxv]A temple in Rapid City
would serve the Saints in South Dakota who currently travel between 180-300
miles one way. The two temples which currently serve the 2 stakes and 1
district in South Dakota both have relatively small districts, but the mileage
involved may justify a temple in that capital city of this state. That said, I
would also not be shocked or surprised in any way if this prospect was delayed
until the Church has a stronger presence there, although President Nelson has,
as noted previously, announced temples which will have a comparatively smaller
district.
[lxvi]In
view of all we have heard about President Nelson’s plans to expand the number
of temples, Maine seems to be a prime candidate for such a temple. Although
there are only two stakes in that state, the two are between 160 and 240 miles
away from their currently-assigned temple in Boston. Whether or not the minimum
mileage is lowered, Augusta surely qualifies for a temple of its’ own, simply
due to those involved distances.
[lxvii]A temple for New Jersey
has been on one of my three lists of potential temple locations for the last
year or so at least. My research shows that the two most likely cities in which
a temple could be built to serve the state are Morristown or East Brunswick New
Jersey. A temple in either city would likely also serve the other city.
Currently, the stakes in New Jersey are split between two temple districts
(Manhattan New York and Philadelphia Pennsylvania). Although the distance for
each stake in New Jersey only involves a one-way journey of 16-42 miles (with
one of those stakes being closer to their currently assigned temple than either
city in New Jersey), I could see the Church announcing a temple in New Jersey
to cut travel for the other stakes. The question of whether Morristown or East
Brunswick would be the best location is something which I am still debating, so
for now, both cities are on my list.
[lxviii]The prospect of a
temple in Cleveland Ohio was brought to my attention, so I looked into the
merits thereof. The Saints in the one stake within that city travel 141.6 miles
one way to worship at the Columbus Ohio Temple. My research has me convinced
that a temple in Cincinnati may also be needed in the future, but I think that
Cleveland may be the more imminent prospect.
[lxix]Right now, the Saints in
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania travel 184.9 miles one way to worship at the Columbus
Ohio Temple. In my opinion, that distance is close enough to the 200-mile
minimum distance to which I have previously referred that a temple in
Pittsburgh makes sense.
[lxx]Vermont
is the 5th smallest of the 50 states, and has a Church presence that
matches its’ size. Members in Montpelier currently travel 183.1 miles one way
to worship at the Boston Massachusetts Temple. Although Vermont has only one
stake currently (in Montpelier), the state has a strong connection to Church
history (as the Prophet Joseph Smith was born in Sharon), so it seems likely
the Church would favor Vermont for a temple. The only question is whether the
Vermont temple would be announced for Montpelier or Sharon. The announcement
last October of a temple for Guam (where the only stake operates in Barrigada,
but the temple was announced for Yigo), makes it hard to know what might be
done for a Vermont temple, but my current research on the subject leads me to
conclude that, unless a stake is established in Sharon before this temple is
announced, Montpelier may be more of a priority for the moment, though I would
anticipate a temple in Sharon as well at some point.
[lxxi]The
Saints residing in Fairbanks Alaska currently travel 360.3 miles to worship at
the temple in Anchorage. Although the Saints in Juneau do have a longer journey
to both Anchorage and Fairbanks, Fairbanks has emerged from my study as the
best prospect for Alaska’s second temple. That said, I can see a day when
Juneau gets one as well, which may happen sooner than expected, depending on
the extent of President Nelson’s temple-building plans.
[lxxii]Victoria has made my
list for the first time this go-round. Based on a comment made on my blog by
someone living in that city, getting to the Vancouver British Columbia Temple
(which is located in the city of Langley) constitutes an undue hardship both in
terms of the cost of travel and the difficulty involved in that journey. For
that reason, a temple in Victoria makes sense, and it seems likely that an
announcement of that prospect will happen sooner rather than later.
[lxxiii]With a temple
announced last October for Yuba City, some have felt that might delay the
imminent likelihood of a temple in Bakersfield California. But Bakersfield is
roughly halfway between Fresno (from which it is 109.1 miles away) and Los
Angeles (to which the Saints in Bakersfield are currently assigned, requiring a
journey of 113.3 miles away). Although there have been some congregational
consolidations in California in recent years, the distances involved may be
sufficient to warrant a temple in Bakersfield in the not-too-distant future.
[lxxiv]Mississippi
is another state that does not yet have a temple in any phase. The Saints in Jackson
currently travel 174.6 miles one way to worship at the Baton Rouge Louisiana
Temple, but with that temple closed for renovation, the trip is much longer to
get to the next nearest temple. That presents a compelling argument for the
idea that a temple in Jackson may simply be a matter of time.
[lxxv]The
Saints in Shreveport currently travel 187.9 miles to their assigned temple in
Dallas, so that city would qualify for a temple of its’ own if the current
200-mile distance goal set by previous church presidents is halved or
quartered. Therefore, a temple in Shreveport may simply be a matter of time.
[lxxvi]With
temples operating in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, a third temple may be needed
sooner rather than later. Several people have shared their feeling that Tallahassee
may be a more likely location for the third temple in that state, but between
my personal research on the subject and the opinions of others who seem to know
more about Florida than I do, Jacksonville has made my list. That said, I can
see a day within the next 5-10 years or less when both cities will have a
temple. The Jacksonville Saints currently travel 140.7 miles to the temple in
Orlando, so if the 200-mile distance is halved or quartered, then this prospect
may be a very high priority in the near future. The one deterrent to that
prospect may be the massive storms that regularly strike that region, but I am
confident enough to include Jacksonville on this list for now.
[lxxvii]The
Saints in Knoxville Tennessee currently travel 180.1 miles to worship at the
temple in Nashville. That may also be an inordinate distance if the minimum
mileage is lowered at all, and if we also take into account the fact that a
journey to Nashville may be arduous, then a temple in Knoxville seems imminent.
[lxxviii]The 17 current stakes
in Georgia are assigned to three different temple districts (Atlanta Georgia,
Columbia South Carolina and Orlando Florida). Savannah is located in the
eastern part of Georgia, and the Saints living within the boundaries of the
stake in that city currently travel 159.9 miles one way to worship at their
assigned temple (in Columbia). Because that journey may constitute an undue
hardship for those Saints, the idea of a temple in Savannah makes a lot of
sense. And if such a temple is announced, it may allow other stakes in Georgia
and the surrounding states to have a less arduous journey to the temple as
well.
[lxxix]A
good friend with connections to Arkansas told me a while ago that the Church
has held land in reserve for a temple in Bentonville for a while now, and that
an official announcement was likely once the right conditions were met. For
that reason, I believe we will see this temple announced sooner rather than
later. Some have opined that Rogers might be a more likely location for the
first temple in Arkansas, but my study confirms that a temple is likely in
Bentonville sooner rather than later. And as observed by someone on my blog,
when the first temple in Arkansas is built, it could potentially be named for
the Ozark Mountain range, which is a major landmark in Arkansas.
[lxxx]The
Saints in Elko currently travel 229.6 miles one way to their assigned temple
(Salt Lake). So Elko already qualifies in terms of the within 200-mile
distance. And if that mileage goal is lowered, that prospect becomes more
imminently likely.
[lxxxi]The
note above applies to the Saints in Ely as well, as they commute 201.1 miles to
their assigned temple in Cedar City. A temple in Ely would cut the commute
substantially. And I fully believe that temples in both Elko and Ely are
possible in the near future, since the distance between the two is just under
200 miles.
[lxxxii]In
sharing my thoughts about potential future temple locations, I learned from
someone living in Texas that Fort Worth would likely be the best prospective
city to split the current Dallas district. In addition, although some have
offered their feedback that El Paso may be a more likely location for that
honor, and although I fully believe both cities will have temples of their own
at some future point, I have prioritized Fort Worth for this list.
[lxxxiii]The
Saints in Las Cruces currently travel 224.6 miles to the temple in Albuquerque,
so a temple there may just be a matter of time. A temple in that city could
also likely serve the Saints in El Paso Texas, as the two cities are 46.2 miles
apart. The journey between the two cities would be a fairly easy distance if
for any reason the El Paso Saints are unable to get to their currently-assigned
temple in Ciudad Juarez Mexico.
[lxxxiv]Although
Elder Larry Y. Wilson, the Executive Director of the Church’s Temple
Department, stated at last year’s dedication of the Tucson Arizona Temple that
Arizona was, for the moment, well-stocked with temples, my study indicates that
the next Arizona temple will be built in Flagstaff. Right now, the Saints in
that city currently travel 119 miles to worship at the Snowflake Arizona
Temple. If the 200-mile distance is decreased by President Nelson (either by
halving or quartering it), then Snowflake would be a prime candidate for a
temple, and that may even help to split some of the other temple districts in
Arizona as well.
[lxxxv]When the First
Presidency announced area leadership assignments in 2018, three-man area
presidencies were reestablished for the North American Areas. As part of those
changes, the 3 areas in Utah, which had previously been separate, were
consolidated into a single “Utah Area”. The locations that follow are those
within the Utah area for which I have felt a temple is most likely.
[lxxxvi]In
2005, President Gordon B. Hinckley noted that land was being held in reserve
for a temple in the Southwestern Salt Lake Valley, which would have an official
announcement when that became necessary. Subsequent study on my part in late
2017 and early 2018 pointed me to the conclusion that the land in question was
in Bluffdale, but that it has since been annexed into the city of Herriman,
although it has been the subject of more than a few border disputes. I am
confident enough to list it here, and since President Monson announced temples
publicly proposed during President Hinckley’s tenure, I feel that President
Nelson may likely do the same (announcing temples which were publicly proposed
during the tenures of his two prophetic predecessors). Thus, a temple in
Herriman may just be a matter of time.
[lxxxvii]Preston
Idaho is a relatively new addition to this list. With the Church having
announced that the groundbreaking for the Pocatello Idaho Temple will take
place at some point in 2019, and because Idaho is part of the Mormon corridor,
that opens the prospect that both temples could be under construction at around
the same time. The main reason I added a temple for Preston this go-round is
because it would split the current district of the Logan Utah Temple. Right
now, the Saints in Preston travel 26.7 miles to worship at that temple.
Although that may not be an inordinate distance, at the same time, if the Logan
temple is as busy as the reports I have found seem to indicate, splitting the
district would make a lot of sense, and Preston seems to be the most effective
location to accomplish that.
[lxxxviii]A
temple in Heber City (the prospect of which has been suggested a few times)
would help provide a closer option for Saints in the Heber Valley, and it would
likely split the district of the Provo Utah Temple, which, by all reports, remains
one of the busiest in the Church, if not the very busiest. Although the Saints
in Heber City only have to travel 28.1 miles one way to get to the Provo
temple, that is certainly an inordinate distance for a Utah County city. So the
case in favor of this prospect is a strong one.
[lxxxix]Tooele
has also been mentioned repeatedly as a potential prospective city for a
temple. The Saints in Tooele currently travel 34.1 miles to worship at the Salt
Lake Temple. Once that temple closes for the renovation mentioned by President
Nelson during the October 2018 General Conference, the journey will be longer.
So the more I thought about it, the more I felt that a temple in that city may
simply be a matter of time. And since a temple in Herriman would still create
an unduly difficult journey (along a U-shape) for those Saints, it seems safe
to assume that Tooele could (and likely will) get a temple of its’ own, and
that that could occur sooner rather than later.
[xc]Although the city of
Evanston is, according to the 2013 Church Almanac, technically located within
the boundaries of the Utah Salt Lake City Area, the two stakes in that city are
part of the Ogden Utah Temple district (the city of Ogden is part of the Utah
North Area). The members in Evanston currently travel 77.4 miles to worship at
the Ogden temple. Despite the fact that that is not an inordinate distance,
Wyoming is part of the “Mormon corridor”, where Church growth has continued to
be somewhat steady and regular, and for that reason, if and when Wyoming gets a
second temple, it will likely be built in Evanston, and that could happen
sooner rather than later.
[xci]In January 2019, I
received a report from someone living in Southern Utah that Elder Steven E.
Snow, during his address to a Washington County Stake Conference, mentioned
that the Temple Department had indicated to him that, because of how busy the
St. George Utah Temple has been kept in recent years, a third temple would be
needed in the near future to serve the Saints in Washington County. For that reason,
this prospect has been added to this list for the first time, though it may be
a few years down the line.
